Garlic (Julianna Massa, Purdue College of Health and Human Sciences/Pre-physician assistant

S p ring 2 0 22 G AR L IC (AL L I UM S AT IVUM L. FAM. LILIACEAE)

J U L I A N N A M A S S A - P R E - P A S T U D E N T

H I S T O R Y O F U S E

Garlic has a long history of being used for its medicinal properties. It has gone by many names including Russian penicillin, rank rose, and snake grass. It is native to Middle Asia where it was used to treat depression. In Ancient India, it was a remedy used to cure a lack of appetite, general weakness, cough, and skin disease. The Egyptians fed their slaves garlic to provide them with vitamins and stifle their appetite to make them capable of doing more work. Hippocrates lists garlic as a remedy for intestinal parasites. In World War I, it was used as a natural antibiotic in place of penicillin for the Russian Army. In fact, garlic’s antiseptic properties have been used to stop cholera and typhoid fever in the early 1900s in Beirut (Petrovska BB, Cekovska S.). There are different uses for garlic around the world. Some of the most popular include treating stomach aches, the common cold, atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, dandruff, hair loss, and depression. It has also been used to fight many infectious diseases such as typhoid fever and influenza. It is also said to have antiaging and anti-cancer properties (Petrovska BB, Cekovska S.).

A V A I L A B L E F O R M S A N D D O S A G E S

Garlic supplements can be taken using fresh, aged, or boiled garlic as well as garlic oil. The best way to take it to retain the allicin is either crushed or sliced raw garlic. Grilling or roasting it will not damage the allicin. The recommended daily dosage range is 600-1,200mg divided into small portions and eaten with meals. The minimum effective dose is one clove (Petrovska BB, Cekovska S.).

M E C H A N I S M O F A C T I O N

Image A

Various compounds in garlic such as ajoene and allicin lead to many of its effects. Ajoene produces antithrombotic effects by inhibiting lipoxygenases, increasing fibrinolysis, and decreasing thrombocyte production. Garlic also decreases the concentration of triglycerides, serum lipids, and cholesterol in blood. It also prevents the generation of dangerous free radicals (Petrovska BB, Cekovska S.).

C O M M O N U S E S

Effects of garlic supplementation tend to take at least two weeks to be observable. Taking 600mg of garlic powder daily reduced LDL cholesterol in participants in a study after two weeks. It also reduced total cholesterol and blood pressure in persons with hypertension. The frequency of developing the common cold was 60 to 70 percent lower in people who took garlic daily than those who did not (Patel K).

M Y O P I N I O N

I believe that garlic is beneficial for those who have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and unflavored food. It is a great supplement because it is easy to find at your local grocery store and relatively easy to incorporate into one's daily routine. I already use garlic in my cooking for flavor, but it's nice to know that it is packed with nutrients that are helping my body. ~ J. Massa

T O X I C I T Y , S I D E E F F E C T S , A N D I N T E R A C T I O N S

There are some side effects and warnings about garlic. The main effect that those who consume fresh garlic may notice is the unpleasant odor it may give to one's breath. Garlic oil has a “potentially high level of toxicity” when compared to fresh garlic. Also, at high doses it has been seen to have bloodthinning properties and toxicities. Supplementation should never go beyond 5 percent of the diet, which means about 17 grams for a 150 pound person. Very high doses may interact with Warfarin, an anticoagulant, as well as isoniazid, NNRTIs, and saquinavir (Patel K).

S U M M A R Y O F S C I E N T I F I C A R T I C L E

In an article published in the Journal of Primary Health Care in 2014 by Martini, they evaluated the effects of 12 week garlic supplementation. They found that there was a significant reduction in common cold frequency. It also resulted in a reduction of the severity and duration of symptoms when compared to a placebo group. They also found that there was a “reduction in mean supine systolic and diastolic blood pressure” (Martini N).

S O U R C E S

Image A: Garlic [Photograph] Wallpapers High Quality. http://yesofcorsa.com/garlic/ Image B: [Photograph] TreeHugger. https://www.treehugger.com/planting-garlic-in-the-fall4865530 Petrovska BB, Cekovska S. Extracts from the history and medical properties of garlic. Pharmacogn Rev. 2010;4(7):106-110. doi:10.4103/0973-7847.65321 Patel K. Examine. Garlic. Accessed February 24, 2022. https://examine.com/supplements/garlic/ Martini N. Potion or poison? garlic. Journal of Primary Healthcare 2014; 6, 337-338. doi:10.1071/HC14337